Motor-vehicle.



c. E. LIGHTER. MOTOR VEHICLE.

' mrudulon rum) mm 1, 1912. 1,093,445. Patented Apr. 14, 1914 A 2SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. E. LIGHTER.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1912.

1 ,093 145., Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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"ing mechanism of the intermediate axle or spective view of one end ofthe front axle gear casing 9 in which is housed a conven- CHARLES E.LIGHTER, or MASON orrY, IOWA.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters l atent.

Patented Apr. 1d, 1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. LIGHTER,

a. citizen of the United States, residing at Mason City, in the countyof Cerro Gordo and State of Iowa, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to motor vehicles, the object being to provide apropulsion axle, a. principal steering axle, and one or moreintermediate axles adapted for use both in the steering and propulsionof the vehicle.

An object of the invention is the provision of means connecting thesteering mechanism of the principal steering axle with the steeraxles.

A further object is the provision of means by which power may beapplied. to .any one of the indlvidualpropulsion axles, or collectivelyto the same.

Further objects of the invention will. appear. as the following specificdescription is read in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of the application, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a fragmentarylongitudinal sectional View of one of the intermediate axles, showingthe clutch mechanism. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section viewof the same. Fig. .5 is a fragmentary plan'view of the rear axle. Fig.6-is a detail perspective view of the clutch operating member. Fig. 7 isa fragmentary perand the movable spindle, showing the steering mechanismattached thereto.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the chassis of the machine towhich is seforward steering axle 3. The spindle posts 3 secured to thisaxle 3 are provided, in addition to the operating arms 4 connected bythe cross bar'5, with inwardly and downwardly curved ar-msG for apurpose which hereinafter will be more fully described. Suitable wheels3 are mounted upon the spindles 3 carried by the spindle posts 3.

The stationary axle 7 is secured to the chassis near its rear end bymeans of the springs 8, and this axle is provided with a ient form ofclutch mechanism, which is clearly shown in Fig. 5. Wheels 7' aremounted on the spindles of the rotatable axle or shaft 7 journaled inthe axle 7.

As shown in the drawings, an intermed ate axle 10 is mounted beneath thechassis between the axles 3 and 7 by the springs 11. This axle 10 ismade hollow for the reception of the shaft 12, and is provided with anintegrally formed casing 13 for the clutch mechanism 14. The extremitiesof the shaft 12 are connected to the active spindles 15 mounted withinthe bearing spindles 16 by means of the universal oints l7, and theouter ends of the active spindles 15 are fixedly and removably connectedto the hubs of the wheels 18 as shown at 18*. The spindle posts 19 areprovided with lateral, arms 20, whose extremities are pivotally securedto the connecting'rod 21, and also are provided with the additionaldownwardly and forwardly curved arms 22, whose extremities are pivotedto-the rear ends of the longitudinal connecting rods 23. Theseconnecting rods 23 have their forward extremities pivoted to theextremities of the curved arms 6 on the spindle posts of the principalsteering axle, so that turning movement of the spindle posts of theprincipal axle will impart, through the medium of the connect ing rods23, corresponding turning movemelnt to the spindle posts of theintermediate ax e. i

A sectional drive shaft 24: has its forward section 25 journ-aled in thebearing box 26, and in the clutch casing 13 on the intermediate axle.This section 25 has a sprocket .wheel 27 fixedly secured to its forwardextremity, and this sprocket wheel is connected by a chain 28 to thecrank shaft of the engines (not shown). The rear end of the shaftsection 25 is connected to the forward end of a second section 29journaled in the clutch casings 9 and 13 of both propulsion axles, bymeans of the clutch mechanism 14:, which latter is operativelyassociated with the shaft 12 so as to permit rotation of the same ineither direction. I

In Fig. 1 it will be seen that I have provided hand levers 33 and 34 insuit-able proximity to the operators seat, so that operation of the samewill throw the clutch lower end pivoted to the arm 36 of the rockermember 37, which latter is mounted on the under surface of the chassis 1by means of the bracket 38. The arm 39 of the rocker member ispositioned angularly with respect to the arm 36 and has the forward endof a horizontal, longitudinally extending connecting rod 40 pivoted toits extremity. The rear end of the rod 40 passes through an opening inthe rear casing 9 carried by the axle 7, and is secured to the clutchoperating lever 4O mounted therein. A second vertical connecting rod l1extending through the floor of the vehicle, has its upper end pivoted tothe hand lever 34 and its lower end pivoted to the normally horizontalarm 42 of the rocker member 43', which latter is mounted beneath thechassis i 1 adjacent the rocker member 37 by means 'of the bracket 44.The angularly disposed arm 4-5 of the rocker member 43 has its extremitypivoted to the forward end of a second horizontal connecting rod 46,whose rear end passes into the casing 13 of the intermediate axle 10 andis secured to the clutch operating lever therein.

The engines of the machine are arranged so that one or more of the samemay be connected to the sectional drive shaft. This permits the use ofthe desired amount of power, and the application of the power may befurther regulated by means of the clutch mechanisms.- On certainoccasions it may be found desirable to cut off-the power from theintermediate axle, this being accomplished by drawing the hand lever 34in the proper direction, depending upon the direction in which themachine is moving. Throwing the hand levers 33 or 34 in either directionfrom the inoperative position will apply the power to the driving axlesto propel the vehicle'either forward or backward. This use of"intermediate axles is designed to prevent a large percentage of the jaroccasioned by the passage over uneven ground, and also to permit thevehicle to make sharper turns inits course. In passing over a depressionin the ground, for instance, two sets of wheels at least will be onlevel ground, while the other will ride over the depression. Byemploying brake attachments in connection with the intermediate axle,the braking power of the machine will be doubled.

I claim 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis, of apropulsion axle carried thereby, wheels carried by said axle, aprincipal steering axle mounted on said chassis, wheels carried by saidsteering axle, an intermediate axle mounted on said chassis, said axlebeing adapted for use in propulsion and steering, means by which saidsteering axle may be operated, means connecting the steering mechanismof said principal steering axle with the steering mechanism of theintermediate axle to cause corresponding operation of the same, means bywhich the intermediate propulsion axle may be operated independently,and means by which the first-named propulsion axle may be operated whilethe said intermediate axle is in operation.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis, of a propulsionaxle carried thereby, wheels carried by said axle, a principal steeringaxle mounted on said chassis, wheels carried by said steering axle, anintermediate axle mounted on said chassis, said axle adapted for use inpropulsion and steering, means by which said steering axle may beoperated, means connecting the steering mechanism of said principalsteering axle with the steering mechanism of the intermediate axle tocause corresponding operation of the same, reversible means by which theintermediate propulsion axle may be operated independently, and means bywhich the first-named propulsion axle may be operated while the saidintermediate axle is in operation.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis, of a propulsionaxle carried thereby, wheels carried by said axle, a principal steeringaxle mounted on said chassis, wheels carried by said steering axle, anintermediate axle mounted on said chassis. said axle adapted for use inpropulsion and steering, means by which said steering axle may beoperated, means connecting the steering mechanism of said principalsteering axle with the steering mechanism of the intermediate axle tocause corresponding operation of the same, reversible means by which theintermediate propulsion axle may be operated independently, andreversible means by which the first-named propulsion axle may beoperated while the said intermediate axle is in operation.

4. In a. motor vehicle. the combination with the chassis thereof, of astationary principal axle attached thereto, a principal steering axlehaving movable spindles, wheels mounted upon said spindles, anintermediate axle having movable spindles. wheels mounted on saidspindles, a longitudinal shaft rotatably mounted in said intermediateaxle. means operatively connecting the ends of said shaft with thewheels on the spindles of the intermediate axle, a gear casing formed onsaid intermediate axle. an operating shaft section having one endiournaled in said casing and extending forwardly therefrom, means forattaching a source of power to said shaft section, a gear casing formedon the stationary axle, a longitudinal shaft journaledfin saidstationary axle and having spindles, wheels mounted fixedly upon saidspindles, a second operating shaft section having its ends journaled inboth gear-casings, a clutch mechanism in the gear casing carried by theintermediate axle, means by which said mechanism may be operated toconnect the first-named operoperating shaft section to cause rotation ofW ating shaft section with the longitudlnal the said wheel-attachedshaft in either direcwheeI-conneeted shaft in said intermediate tion orto render the same inoperative. axle to cause rotation of the lattershaft in [In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature 5 either direction011; for }rendering tlie same inpresence oftwo Witnesses.

inoperative, clutc mec anism in t e gear a v casing upon the stationaryaxle, and means GHARLES LIGHTER for operating the said clutch mechanismto Witnesses: connect the longitudinal wheel-attached WuR. Enwmwm. '16shaft in said axle with the second-named HARDY F-JPoon.

